Sturgis guilty on all counts

Sentencing scheduled for June.

May 24, 2012|DAVE STEPHENS | South Bend Tribune

Terry Sturgis is escorted out of the courtroom after being found guilty on all 14 charges brought against him, including the murder of his ten-year-old son, Tramelle Sturgis, inside the St. Joseph County Courthouse in South Bend on Thursday, May 24, 2012. (South Bend Tribune/ROBERT FRANKLIN)

SOUTH BEND — As they re-entered the courtroom Thursday, ready to give the verdict, no members of the jury turned to look at Terry Sturgis Sr.

Already, they had seen enough.

Facing 14 charges of abuse and neglect, including the murder of his 10-year-old son Tramelle, Sturgis sat quietly as St. Joseph Superior Court Judge Jane Woodward Miller read through each individual charge.

Guilty was the final summation on all charges.

In the back of the courtroom, Tramelle’s mother, Tiffany Townsend, began to sob, clutching onto the arms of other family members.

For the past week, Townsend and others sat through the harrowing testimony of investigators and medical professionals who spoke in detail about the signs of abuse found on the body of Tramelle and two of his brothers, after the 10-year-old was found dead on Nov. 4, 2011, in the West Washington Street home that Sturgis shared with his five children, as well as his mother, Dellia Castile.

Even more gripping — and horrifying — was the testimony of Tramelle’s brothers, age 14 and 9, as they spoke matter-of-factly about the routine abuse they suffered at the hands of their father. Abuse that included beatings, strangulation and burns — when the elder Sturgis would use everything from roach spray to clothing irons to inflict pain on his children.

As he exited the courtroom after the verdict, Sturgis said nothing, but shook his head back and forth, as if in a sign of disagreement.

Outside, deputy prosecutor Joel Gabrielse called the verdict welcome.

“It’s a good day,” Gabrielse said. “We’ve been working for this for quite some time.”

That work included questioning 19 witnesses during the seven-day trial, including Tramelle’s school teacher and the medical technician who arrived at the Sturgis’ home to find the boy not breathing.

Defense attorney Jeff Kimmell said he appreciated the work of the jury, but said it’s inevitable that an appeal will be made in the case.

“In cases like this, there’s always an appeal,” Kimmell said.

DOUBLE JEOPARDY

Although the jury found Sturgis guilty on all 14 counts — 13 felonies and 1 misdemeanor — Miller said there is an issue of overlapping charges that need further review.

Prior to the trial, Kimmell argued that the two neglect charges Sturgis faced were actually instances of double jeopardy, since the neglect was related to the charges of battery Sturgis faced.

Miller said she planned to review the separate charges prior to Sturgis’ sentencing — scheduled for June 21 — to see if a double-jeopardy issue exists.

Even if the two neglect charges are thrown out, given the other charges he faces, 35-year-old Sturgis is still likely to spend much of the remainder of his life behind bars.

‘NO ONE DESERVES THAT’

“He got what he deserved,” said Mary Johnson, a South Bend resident who sat through the week-long trial not because she knew the victims, but because she said she wanted to see justice served.

“I looked at those pictures and I sill don’t know how anyone could do what he did to those babies,” Johnson said. “No one deserves that, I don’t care what those kids ever did.”

Although Metro Homicide investigators were seen shaking hands and congratulating each other after the conviction, it was also evident that the emotional nature of the trial had taken its toll.

But even with Sturgis conviction, many of the people who witnessed or investigated the abuse will soon have to relive the experience again.

Next month, Tramelle’s grandmother Castile is expected to go on trial for not reporting the alleged abuse and faces three charges of felony neglect.

Castile lived in the home with Sturgis and his children, although testimony during the trial indicated she lived on the main and second floors of the home with some of her grandchildren, while Sturgis and his family lived in the basement.

According to initial charging documents, Castile reportedly would pay her son to not to beat Tramelle and his brothers too hard.

203 DAYS

After the verdict was read, Tramelle’s mom and maternal grandmother exited the courtroom sheltered by police officers, who said they did not wish to speak with the media.

Members of the jury also issued a similar request through Sheriff Mike Grzegorek, who said that the week of listening to testimony had been emotionally draining.

Just one day earlier, they sat through closing arguments, hearing the tale of horror that was the final moments of Tramelle’s life.

Just a week ago, they were forced to look at the graphic photographs of a 10-year-old’s lifeless body, bruised, battered and burned lying on a hospital bed.

Just 10 days ago, they were normal people, summoned of jury duty, unaware of what case they would behold.

And just 204 days ago, a 10-year-old boy — “a student every teacher would want in their class,” his teacher would later testify — would come home from school, unaware that soon the whole world would know his pain.